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The Battleship Builders: Constructing and Arming British Capital Ships
How shipbuilders, engine manufacturers, and more united to build Britain's Grand "Superbly written...One of the best naval titles I have seen."--Marine News
The launch in 1906 of HMS Dreadnought, the world's first all-big-gun battleship, rendered all existing battle fleets obsolete, but at the same time it wiped out the Royal Navy's numerical advantage, so expensively maintained for decades. Already locked in the same arms race with Germany, Britain urgently needed to build an entirely new battle fleet of these larger, more complex, and costlier vessels.
In this she succeeded spectacularly; in little over a decade fifty such ships were completed, almost exactly double what Germany achieved. It was only made possible by a vast industrial nexus of shipbuilders, engine manufacturers, armament fleets, and specialist armor producers, whose contribution to the Grand Fleet is too often ignored. This heroic achievement, and how it was done, is the subject of this book. It charts the rise of the large industrial conglomerates that were key to this success, looks at the reaction to fast-moving technical changes, and analyzes the politics of funding this vast national effort, both before and beyond the Great War. It also attempts to assess the true cost--and value--of the Grand Fleet in terms of the resources consumed. And finally, by way of contrast, it describes the effects of the postwar recession, industrial contraction, and the very different responses to rearmament in the run up to the Second World War.
Includes photographs
The launch in 1906 of HMS Dreadnought, the world's first all-big-gun battleship, rendered all existing battle fleets obsolete, but at the same time it wiped out the Royal Navy's numerical advantage, so expensively maintained for decades. Already locked in the same arms race with Germany, Britain urgently needed to build an entirely new battle fleet of these larger, more complex, and costlier vessels.
In this she succeeded spectacularly; in little over a decade fifty such ships were completed, almost exactly double what Germany achieved. It was only made possible by a vast industrial nexus of shipbuilders, engine manufacturers, armament fleets, and specialist armor producers, whose contribution to the Grand Fleet is too often ignored. This heroic achievement, and how it was done, is the subject of this book. It charts the rise of the large industrial conglomerates that were key to this success, looks at the reaction to fast-moving technical changes, and analyzes the politics of funding this vast national effort, both before and beyond the Great War. It also attempts to assess the true cost--and value--of the Grand Fleet in terms of the resources consumed. And finally, by way of contrast, it describes the effects of the postwar recession, industrial contraction, and the very different responses to rearmament in the run up to the Second World War.
Includes photographs
818 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 1, 2013
64 people are currently reading
50 people want to read
About the author
Ian Johnston
8 booksLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
July 18, 2015
Painstakingly researched work on the British battleship industry, dealing with everything from high finance to how to a steam-powered armor-rolling mill works. While extraordinarily well researched and of enormous interest to the professional historian, as a mere casual history-lover I missed the personal touch. What was it like to stand on a wooden scaffold and drive red-hot rivets? Who were some of the engineers who developed guns of such precision, and what motivated them to do so? Who were the investors and shareholders?
If I were merely judging on "informative", this would be a five-star book. For the professional historian, it's probably exactly that. But we amateurs seek something more.
If I were merely judging on "informative", this would be a five-star book. For the professional historian, it's probably exactly that. But we amateurs seek something more.
March 14, 2021
Excellent book on the industry that made the WW1 Royal Navy possible. Very readable and well illustrated with details on construction yards, technical developments, politics and the wheeler-dealing of heavy industry. One of those books you pick up and think “how has this not been written before?”
October 18, 2023
Ime küll, aga vahepeal õnnestus mul kolleeg Vollilt saadud lennukiraamatud vahetada paari vägagi ontliku laevaraamatu vastu. „The Battleship Builders“ oli selles suhtes igati mõnus elamus. Kunagi ammu käisin ma ühe kauge maa kõrtsis, kus kõik seinad olid eelmise sajandivahetuse sõjalaevu täis – just need, kollaste korstnate ja väljaulatuvate rammidega –, mis tekitas uskumatult laheda retroefekti. Unustage kõik tähesõdade/„Star Treki“/steampunki fantaasiad, originaali ei ole võimalik üle trumbata.
Pealkirja eirates tehakse selles raamatus juttu ka teistest laevatüüpidest, lisaks leidub ohtralt fotosid (mõned küll häbematult tillukesed), jooniseid ja kaarte. Skeemi leheküljelt 109 olen ma tegelikult ammu otsinud, sest tolleaegseid termineid on ilma pildita pehmelt öeldes raske tuvastada.
Neid firmasid, kes veel sadakond aastat tagasi Inglismaal sõjalaevu ehitasid või selleks vajalikke aksessuaare tarnisid, on ikka väga palju. Juba nendest ülevaate andmine on julge ettevõtmine. Lisaks on kirjeldatud ka Inglise ettevõtete välismaa filiaale – veel üks pluss. Lõpuks üritatakse välja selgitada, kui palju laevaehitajad tegelikult tulu teenisid ja selles suhtes on tulemused mõneti üllatavad. Vähe sellest, et välismaa kliendid (alustades Venemaaga) inglaseid pidevalt peedistasid, nende enda valitsus polnud sugugi parem. Nii juhtuski, et võidujooks sakslastega kurnas Inglise laevaehitajad välja ja Esimene maailmasõda andis neile sihukese paugu, millest enamik enam ei toibunud. Vastupidi sellele, mida tänapäevalgi väidetakse, tulid ameeriklaste kehtestatud piirangud brittide jaoks igati õigel ajal. Teine maailmasõda andis ellujäänud ehitajatele veel ühe paugu, millest enam ei toibutudki. Isegi HMS Vanguard, too brittide luigelaul, oli tegelikult rikkama aja jääkidest kokku klopsitud.
Kokkuvõttes oli nostalgiline raamat, seda nii mitmeski mõttes. „The Battleship Builders“ algab julge disainiga graatsiliste alustega, mille purjed oli aurumasin üsna hiljuti välja vahetanud. Viimased selle raamatu laevad on lihtsalt koledad ja kandilised. Eks ilu ole vaataja silmades, aga isegi Inglise ajaloolased on tunnistanud, et tol ajal Prantsusmaal ehitatud laevad olid ilusamad, Itaalia omadest rääkimata. Ainuke lohutus on see, et Saksa sõjalaevad olid niisama koledad.
Sutike üllatab, et abiseadmete kategoorias puudub igasugune ülevaade optikast, kuigi peamine tootja tegutses veel käesoleval sajandil. Kas põhjus võib olla selles, et tegemist oli õigupoolest Šoti firmaga?
Selle raamatu kõige suuremaks puuduseks on taas mustvalge kujundus. Tõenäoliselt enamik 21. sajandi lugejaid ei adugi, et kõik need plakatid ja voldikud olid värvilised ja eeskujulikult hästi kujundatud. W. W. Nortoni laevaraamatud (näiteks John Maxtone-Grahami omad) on selles suhtes mõõtmatult paremini lahendatud.
Pealkirja eirates tehakse selles raamatus juttu ka teistest laevatüüpidest, lisaks leidub ohtralt fotosid (mõned küll häbematult tillukesed), jooniseid ja kaarte. Skeemi leheküljelt 109 olen ma tegelikult ammu otsinud, sest tolleaegseid termineid on ilma pildita pehmelt öeldes raske tuvastada.
Neid firmasid, kes veel sadakond aastat tagasi Inglismaal sõjalaevu ehitasid või selleks vajalikke aksessuaare tarnisid, on ikka väga palju. Juba nendest ülevaate andmine on julge ettevõtmine. Lisaks on kirjeldatud ka Inglise ettevõtete välismaa filiaale – veel üks pluss. Lõpuks üritatakse välja selgitada, kui palju laevaehitajad tegelikult tulu teenisid ja selles suhtes on tulemused mõneti üllatavad. Vähe sellest, et välismaa kliendid (alustades Venemaaga) inglaseid pidevalt peedistasid, nende enda valitsus polnud sugugi parem. Nii juhtuski, et võidujooks sakslastega kurnas Inglise laevaehitajad välja ja Esimene maailmasõda andis neile sihukese paugu, millest enamik enam ei toibunud. Vastupidi sellele, mida tänapäevalgi väidetakse, tulid ameeriklaste kehtestatud piirangud brittide jaoks igati õigel ajal. Teine maailmasõda andis ellujäänud ehitajatele veel ühe paugu, millest enam ei toibutudki. Isegi HMS Vanguard, too brittide luigelaul, oli tegelikult rikkama aja jääkidest kokku klopsitud.
Kokkuvõttes oli nostalgiline raamat, seda nii mitmeski mõttes. „The Battleship Builders“ algab julge disainiga graatsiliste alustega, mille purjed oli aurumasin üsna hiljuti välja vahetanud. Viimased selle raamatu laevad on lihtsalt koledad ja kandilised. Eks ilu ole vaataja silmades, aga isegi Inglise ajaloolased on tunnistanud, et tol ajal Prantsusmaal ehitatud laevad olid ilusamad, Itaalia omadest rääkimata. Ainuke lohutus on see, et Saksa sõjalaevad olid niisama koledad.
Sutike üllatab, et abiseadmete kategoorias puudub igasugune ülevaade optikast, kuigi peamine tootja tegutses veel käesoleval sajandil. Kas põhjus võib olla selles, et tegemist oli õigupoolest Šoti firmaga?
Selle raamatu kõige suuremaks puuduseks on taas mustvalge kujundus. Tõenäoliselt enamik 21. sajandi lugejaid ei adugi, et kõik need plakatid ja voldikud olid värvilised ja eeskujulikult hästi kujundatud. W. W. Nortoni laevaraamatud (näiteks John Maxtone-Grahami omad) on selles suhtes mõõtmatult paremini lahendatud.
May 28, 2023
The Battleship Builders came out for the first time a dash over a decade ago, and it is already very highly-regarded, and rightfully so. It is a very well-researched and well-informed discussion of the construction of British battleships, and for anyone interested in “where battleships come from”, is well worth a read.
After the introduction, the first two full chapters outline the two periods for battleship building in Britain, 1860-1919 and 1920-1945, before a discussion of the various building firms and organisations, and then subject-based chapters on facilities, powering (machinery), armament and armour; and then wrapping up with chapters on exports, money, and manpower. There are also three appendices, looking at John Brown’s contracts, the inquiry into the armour pricing ring, and shipbreaking.
The standard of writing is high, although it is worth noting it is on the dryer side (and I found the chapter on money a little hard-going). The standard of editing is also very high, with only a very small number of typos, and no obviously incorrect figures in tables that I noticed. As well as the text there are many photographs and diagrams, including top-down maps with keys for the major battleship building sites, as well as numerous tables. A bibliography, index and a very useful diagram in the inside front and back covers showing the evolution of the firms that are discussed in the book and round out the package.
All up, for anyone seriously interested in the history of the Royal Navy (and particularly for those interested in understanding how it was built) between 1860-1945, it’s an easy recommendation, and the same goes for those interested in “where navies come from” more generally.
After the introduction, the first two full chapters outline the two periods for battleship building in Britain, 1860-1919 and 1920-1945, before a discussion of the various building firms and organisations, and then subject-based chapters on facilities, powering (machinery), armament and armour; and then wrapping up with chapters on exports, money, and manpower. There are also three appendices, looking at John Brown’s contracts, the inquiry into the armour pricing ring, and shipbreaking.
The standard of writing is high, although it is worth noting it is on the dryer side (and I found the chapter on money a little hard-going). The standard of editing is also very high, with only a very small number of typos, and no obviously incorrect figures in tables that I noticed. As well as the text there are many photographs and diagrams, including top-down maps with keys for the major battleship building sites, as well as numerous tables. A bibliography, index and a very useful diagram in the inside front and back covers showing the evolution of the firms that are discussed in the book and round out the package.
All up, for anyone seriously interested in the history of the Royal Navy (and particularly for those interested in understanding how it was built) between 1860-1945, it’s an easy recommendation, and the same goes for those interested in “where navies come from” more generally.
January 20, 2025
Call this a handbook to another military industrial complex, as the authors examine the businesses that built the Royal Navy, and the huge endeavor that won the naval race with Germany prior to 1914. Liberally illustrated with photos of all phases of construction, more heft is given this work as Johnston & Buxton examine the elements of cooperation and competition between these enterprises; including how the armor makers were able to collude in sponging more money from His Majesty's Government. Well worth reading if one is interested in the commercial side of naval power.
May 14, 2019
Great read
I live in Glasgow and remember going along South street just as Yarrows was finishing also when going doon the watter on Holliday to Arran as a kid watching ships doing the measured mile now the Clyde is a shadow of its glory days
I live in Glasgow and remember going along South street just as Yarrows was finishing also when going doon the watter on Holliday to Arran as a kid watching ships doing the measured mile now the Clyde is a shadow of its glory days
May 29, 2019
Incredible detail
Everything you would ever need to know about the industry during its era. Much reference material as well and extensive notes.
Everything you would ever need to know about the industry during its era. Much reference material as well and extensive notes.
August 7, 2014
A fascinating book that examines the warship building industry in the UK during the period 1860-1950. Specifically looking at the details of building big gun capital ships since the facilities for building them was so highly specialized that the government (Admiralty) had to manage both the growth (to make sure there was enough capacity to match German building in the run-up to WW1) and the decline (to make sure that capacity did not completely disappear during the years after WW1 when Naval Limitations almost eliminated capital ship construction).
Several chapters deal with components of the industry -- steel, armor plate, naval guns, the mounting for aiming and loading naval guns (which are much more complex than the guns themselves), fire direction,and even ammunition and propellants. There are details about the construction, launching, and fitting out of hulls, including descriptions of all the types of cranes used. There is a chapter on financial aspects, much of which is guesswork since these private companies were not required to make the details known. The authors have hunted down the few records that do survive and extrapolated from there, separating ships built for the Royal Navy and those built for foreign navies. They estimate the total cost of the effort expended to outbuild Germany but I wish a little more had been said about the impact on national debt that drove the British to seek naval limitations after the war.
This book is not an "easy read". The text is economical and dense. Each chapter just plunges right into the topic and there are facts and numbers everywhere, often in tables, which will overwhelm a casual reader. I found it best to read a section at a time and then reflect on what I had read. I also found the place names required all my concentration as the same location might be referred to by the name of the yard, the firm, or the small town that invariably grew around the yard to house the thousands of workers.
Still, I've never read a book like this one and learned much more than I do from most books.
Several chapters deal with components of the industry -- steel, armor plate, naval guns, the mounting for aiming and loading naval guns (which are much more complex than the guns themselves), fire direction,and even ammunition and propellants. There are details about the construction, launching, and fitting out of hulls, including descriptions of all the types of cranes used. There is a chapter on financial aspects, much of which is guesswork since these private companies were not required to make the details known. The authors have hunted down the few records that do survive and extrapolated from there, separating ships built for the Royal Navy and those built for foreign navies. They estimate the total cost of the effort expended to outbuild Germany but I wish a little more had been said about the impact on national debt that drove the British to seek naval limitations after the war.
This book is not an "easy read". The text is economical and dense. Each chapter just plunges right into the topic and there are facts and numbers everywhere, often in tables, which will overwhelm a casual reader. I found it best to read a section at a time and then reflect on what I had read. I also found the place names required all my concentration as the same location might be referred to by the name of the yard, the firm, or the small town that invariably grew around the yard to house the thousands of workers.
Still, I've never read a book like this one and learned much more than I do from most books.
July 21, 2015
I need to agree that this book is well-reserched with using several statics, in this meaning this is a good book.
Unfortunately I have expected it to be a good anouncement of the development of armour, arm, control of salvo, etc. in the sphere of technology.
In this meaning, I am disappointed.
But it seemes not to be author's fault because actually battleships was not able to perform enough in history and were replaced by air craft carriers.
Unfortunately I have expected it to be a good anouncement of the development of armour, arm, control of salvo, etc. in the sphere of technology.
In this meaning, I am disappointed.
But it seemes not to be author's fault because actually battleships was not able to perform enough in history and were replaced by air craft carriers.
June 4, 2013
A very interesting read. A lot of good information and history.
Fantastic selection of photographs of ships and shipyards and excellent diagrams, maps & illustrations in relation to construction techniques, dockyard cranes and maps of the various yards.
A tremendous book which I will be in and out of for years to come. :-)
Fantastic selection of photographs of ships and shipyards and excellent diagrams, maps & illustrations in relation to construction techniques, dockyard cranes and maps of the various yards.
A tremendous book which I will be in and out of for years to come. :-)
July 16, 2013
A very good read. Photographs are amazing. Book demonstrates the huge investment in money and industrial infrastructure needed to build a modern navy.
November 18, 2013
Great details of what a shipyard in full operation is really like.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews